UKC

This week's Friday Nighter is Climbing Magazine's 'Unscientific Helmet Test'. We've also thrown in a BMC Helmet video that we featured last summer too.

Should you, or do you wear a helmet? And do they actually do you any good? Find out a bit more here...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=68188

In reply to UKC News: I really enjoyed this video. Helps illustrate how you should wear one very well.

However, I'm slightly concerned how little they really could take. A 19lb rock? In an alpine setting one of these falling 2000 feet isn't unlikely!

Made me question whether its worth wearing one more than anything, however, I shall, simply for cleaning ice!

In reply to UKC News: I think all UIAA tests should be performed in this manner.

In reply to UKC News:

So UKC editors....I appreciate the fact that you have helmet campaigns and encourage climbers to do the sensible thing and wear a helmet, its great. However, your adverts, videos and articles about 1st/2nd ascents, classic repeats etc nearly all contain climbers without a helmet on. Do you think this is sending conflicting messages? On the one hand you are telling us we should wear one, on the other you are showing us that the best climbers in the country dont wear them.

A tricky one I know as it is all about personal choice....but what about having a poilicy of UKC will only show videos, photos and articles from climbers wearing helmets? I know it seems a bit harsh but surely it will help helmet wearing to become the norm?

In reply to Rosco P Coltrane:


That's a bloody daft idea. How is that going to help "personal choice"? Let people see the whole truth and make their own minds up.

I have never understood why top climbers don't wear helmets, honestly can't understand it for a second in any situation. But they are free to do their own thing. If you didn't show videos/photos of top climbers who don't wear helmets you wouldn't have much footage to show.

In reply to UKC News:

The think I find interesting is that everybody goes about rockfall as a reason to wear a helmet, but the BMC video suggests that rockfall is not a major cause of death/injury, but falling is. Maybe it is a psychological thing - rockfall is out of your control, so it is OK to use it as a justification to wear a helmet. But people either think they don't fall or don't fall dangerously, possibly underestimating the real risk? There is obviously confirmation bias here that most climbers have not killed themselves falling and banging their heads.

There is also the indoors/outdoors thing, but I suspect indoor climbing may be safer because there is more control - bolts are closer spaced so you won't fall as far, the walls are flatter and so more predictable (there are not ledges to fall on inconveniently). Or maybe I am just trying to justify my own choice not to wear a helmet indoors...

Helmet up! :P